Film developing table



Sept. 15, 1953 B. B. WEAVER FILM DEVELOPING TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1951 INVENTOR eairz'ce B. Wea ver ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. l5, 1953 j:

UNITED gSTM-lss PAT-ENT .ol-"Fim:- 1 V.2,651,982 f FILM DEVELPING TABLE Beatrice Bonita Weaver, YubazCvity, Calif.

" Application March 23, 1951, Serial'No. 217,107

Y y y l 4 Claims.

' 1 This invention relates generally to a table intended primarily, but is not limited, for use in a hospital, particularly in the surgicalsection where emergency operations may be performed.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a table of general adaptation but which may be quickly converted for use to devel-op X- ray lm in the surgical section of a hospital; the advantage being that X-ray lm may be developed-for a dootors usein a short time and Without the necessity of transferring the film to a regular dark room.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a table, as aforesaid, which-when converted for use to develop X-ray nlm-does not require the room to be darkened, and hence the table can be used in the operating room.

(An additional `object of the invention Vis to provide an X-ray nlm developing table, as in the preceding paragraphs, which when in use has a flexible, opaque cover secured in stretched relation on and forming the top of the table; there being light tight access sleeves opening through such cover whereby an operator may place the arms through such sleeves to reach film processing tanks which are disposed in a compartment beneath the cover. f L

A further object of the invention is to provide an X-ray lm developing table wherein such lm processing tanks are in the form of drawers, re-

movable from the table for the purpose of cleaning such tanks. l

It; is also an object of the invention to provide an X-ray film developing table which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and ready, convenient use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable lm developing table,

and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view'of the table as arranged with the removable, solid top for general use.

Fig. 2 is a similar View with such top removed, showing the tank forming drawer arrangement therebeneath.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the table with the solid top removed and the opaque cover substituted therefor.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line 4-'4 of Fig. 3, showingthe manner of use of each tank forming drawer. M

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional` elevation showing the manner of securing the solid top to the table. .v Fig. 6 is a similar view, but Ashows the manner of securing the corners of the ropaque cover to the table. .Y Fig. 7 is aV fragmentary transverse section on line 1,-1 of Fig. 3. Y

Referring now more particularlyto the charac-` ters of reference on the drawings, the table is indicated .generally at I, being rectangular ,but elongated in plan, and supported `by corner legs 2. If desired, the corner legs 2 may be fitted, atthe lower end, with castersfor ease of movement ofv the table from placeV to place as working conditions may require. Y

The table I is normally fitted with a s olid but, removable top3 held in place by downwardly projecting dowels or locator pins 4 which seatin sockets 5in the upper ends of the legs 2; said legs terminating at their upper ends flush with or in the horizontal plane of the upper edges of the sides B, front,1, and rear 8 of the table and which depend asa rigid skirt-l or framework below, v but separate from, the table top to form a rectangu-I lar compartment which is yopen on top when the top 3 is removed. 1 A. 4

The table is fitted with a row of drawers 9, I0, II, and I2, which drawers, except drawer 9, are rformed of a non-corrosive metal, being rectangu-g vlar in plan, of substantial depth, and forming film processing tanks. The drawer 9 is for stor-I age purposes, and a shelf I3 ismounted in rthe table below its upper edge but above said drawer 9 said shelf being of limited extent lengthwise of the table so that it does not cover any portion of the next drawer I0.

For use of the table, for developing X-ray film, theA tabletop 3 is removed Aand is replaced by an initially flexible `opaque cover I4, preferably of non-light reliecting color, such as` black. The cover I4 is stretched taut on the table and secured bydowels or locator pins I5 which engage in the sockets 5; such pinsbeing permanently fixed to the cover I4 at appropriate points by clamps I6. Along its upper rear edge the cover I 4 is detachablyvsecured to the rear 8 of the table by snaps I1. From the rear,8 the cover extends to the front 1, passes down the same in front of the drawersy thence turns and runs beneath the table for its full width, and thence up the rear, being detachably secured to the latter by snaps I8.

In the foregoing manner the cover I4 is secured to the table, completely covering the internal portion of such table wherein the drawers 9-I2 inclusive, and the shelf I3, are disposed. The cover I4 is formed, at opposite ends, with flaps I9 and 20 which depend down corresponding sides 6 of the table. With this arrangement, together with a bottom 2l which extends full length of the table between the front 1 and rear 8, the drawers 9-I2 inclusive, together with the shelf I4, areA in ay compartment which is lighttight.

In alinement with each of the drawers 9-I2 inclusive, the cover I4 is formed with a longitudinal slit 22 adjacent the front 1', and each such slit is in communication-under the cover I4-with a sleeve 23, likewise of flexible opaque material. At its inner end each sleeve 23. is formed with an elastic or knit cuff 24, and each sleeve is maintained above the corresponding drawer by an elastic suspension cord 25 connected between the cuff 24 and an inwardly disposed point on the under side of the cover' I4.

When the table is arranged for thei development of X-ray film, with the cover I4 in place, the X-ray film holder with the exposed nlm therein rests on the shelf I3; the tank formed by drawer I having film. developing solution therein; the tank formed by drawer II having the film fixing or hypo solution therein; and the tank formed by the drawer I2 having the film washing Awater therein.

The operator, with the arms projecting through corresponding sleeves 23 in the manner shown in Fig. 4, first removes the iilm from the holder on shelf I3 and then develops such nlm in the solution in the tank formed by drawer il); the timing being by mental counting or by an actual timing clock which may be disposed in a suitable location.

From the tank formed by the drawer I0, the developed X-ray nlm is worked successively through the tanks formed by the drawers I I and I2, with appropriate timing at each step; the nlm being fixedl in the tank formed by drawer I I and washed in the tank formed by drawer I2.

After the iilm is thus processed, it is slipped out from beneath the cover I4 by raising the loose end flap 2li and passing the film between such flap and the adjacent upper edge of the corresponding side 6 of the table.

By reason of the particular form and arrangement of the sleeves 23, the operator can have the hands under the cover I4 for free movement, asA is necessary in handling the film, but light entry through such sleeves into the table is prevented, especially by reason of the elastic or knit cuffs 24 which fit tightly about the operators wrists.

Intermediate their upper and lower ends the corner legs 2 support a lower shelf 26 for general utility purposes, and the drawer 9 below the shelf 'f3 similarly serves for storage of material, including the cover I4 when it is folded and not in use on the table.

' With the described invention, X-ray film can 'be developed rapidly; effectively; adjacent the point of need by the doctoras in the surgery section off a hospital; and without the necessity of transporting the exposed film, with attendant loss 'of time, to a conventional dark room.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set 'forth herein.

While this specification sets lforth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1.l A film developing table comprising an elongated light-tight compartment, the latter including a flexible" but relatively taut, opaque cover. means removably securing the cover on the table over the compartment, a row of tanks in the compartment, a plurality of openings in the cover for hand and arm entry into the compartment, sleevesl on` the cover within the compartment in communication with said openings and extending transversely of the compartments. elastic cuffs on theV sleeve, and elastic cords suspending the sleevesl at their free ends from the cover above the tanks.

2. A film developing table including an elongated, initially open top compartment including a bottom, front, rear and sides, a plurality of drawers projected into the compartment through the fron-t, said drawers being in the form of open top tanks, a ilexible but opaque cover for the table, means removably securing the cover taut on the table over the compartment whereby the latter is light-tight, and arm and hand entry means in the cover along the front edge thereof arranged to permit of manual access to the interior of the compartment while preventing the passage of light thereinto.

3. A nlm developing table, as in claim 2 in which the cover securing means includes dependent locator pins on the cover; the table having sockets at the corners of the compartment to receive said pins.

4.` A nlm developing table including an elongated initially open-top compartment, a row of trays supported in the compartment, a flexible opaque cover over the top o1" the compartment, means securing the cover on the table so that it is taut and the compartment light-tight, handentry passages in the cover adjacent its front edge, and a transverse flap on the cover at one end overlapping the corresponding end of the compartment; the cover securing means being larranged to leave the cover disconnected from the table between the adjacent transverse corners of the compartment whereby to leave a normally light-tight nlm-transfer passage between the top of the compartment and the cover.

oo y

BEATRICE BONITA WEAVER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

